The Familiar Scent
by IkiaSetto
Summary: *This is an AU story! This is not slash nor yaoi, but there will be comforting moments similar to family-related.* What if the Anteiku Raid had taken another turn? What if Kaneki had not been defeated by Arima, but rather by Amon? Would he had still been spared and turned into Sasaki Haise? Or would Amon become his mentor and not be erased of his identity?
1. I

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.

At the beginning of the story, it is mostly a part of Chapter 133 of the original manga.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

I am currently putting "Two Odd but Unique Friends" on hold due to having to brainstorm ideas for its continuation. I apologize for those who are waiting for an update. I do hope you like this story as back up for now.

Each time a character has a thought the words will be _Italic._

Enjoy the story!

" _Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding."_

—Albert Einstein.

" **I…will not fight you."**

Those soft said words had been spilled out of the albino hair's lips. And just as those words had been said, a fight between a Half-ghoul and a CCG Investigator had begun.

The harsh sound of the back of a heel had been heard as Kaneki had leaped on the windowpane of a tall building, racing sideways as he tried to avoid the soldiers who had blocked his path on the road. One of them was associated as an understanding man to the half-ghoul.

"That will not do." The said understanding man spoke loudly as he swung a part of his quinque at the half-ghoul's location, in the process the quinque pierced the glass, forcing Kaneki to momentarily halt as a bullet was also shot at him.

The half-ghoul was forced to leap to the ground, facing his opponent that he did not wish to fight. However, Amon was not going to have any mercy from the half-ghoul. Amon's quinque began to morph into a different weapon, causing Kaneki to be alert of the changes.

"…Eye patch. You always seem to appear in important situations." Amon spoke in a grave tone as his quinque took the appearance of two identical blades in which he held on both opposite hands. "Are you my own reaper?"

"Or…" Kaneki whispered as Amon fell silent, clearly paying attention to the albino hair. "…Will you chase me even if I were to go around or avoid you?"

To this, Amon stared silently at the ghoul, knowing quite well that it is his duty as a CCG member to not let personal feelings get in his way.

"…Is that so." Kaneki answered Amon's silence, knowing well that they both could not avoid this fight whether they liked to or not. As the half-ghoul's words left his lips, his left eye took form into the Kakugan, a clear sign of initiating an engagement between the two. "I understand."

Despite this, Kaneki continued to repeat that he did not wish to kill the CCG investigator. The albino hair went as far as to ask Amon his name, one that had not ever been discussed between the two.

The half-ghoul clearly knew that Amon meant his words when the CCG investigator had said he would only be going to Cochlea. A place that Kaneki would think he would never be taken, though fate had other things in store for him. Cochlea was a place for ghouls to be held as captives, where they were either kept alive for information or turned into quinque material.

"Hear me—" Amon had spoken through clenched teeth as he took the stance to fight the half-ghoul had showed clear intimidation. **"My name is Amon Koutarou!"**

Even though the fight had been rushed and through bitter emotions, Kaneki had held the upper hand from the very beginning. The half-ghoul had taken Amon's quinque, just as he had planned for it to not be a duel to the death.

But as always, life was not ever as Kaneki wanted. A man whose name goes by Investigator Chigyo had suddenly appeared; he had thrown two suitcases of opposite colors to Amon. At that moment, Kaneki already knew that the fight would continue.

The whole scene to Kaneki had been his worse case scenario, all of which he had tried to avoid. Amon had been overtaken by a strange quinque that gave him Arata armor and another quinque. The quinque had a form of a spear with a conical lance-like head, a very terrifying appearance that made Amon seem like a Knight.

Rain began to pour from the sky, the gloomy atmosphere making its way into the two opponents. The half-ghoul had already been thinking of a plan to break the lance as well as the armor. However, he miscalculated and was knocked unconscious at the rapid speed in which the man had obtained.

All to quickly, Kaneki had been knocked into the very creature he feared. His incomplete kakuja took over him, the wretched mask gripping his face painfully as his body moved on instinct. Amon was not at all intimidated, he charged at Kaneki and raised his own weapon to attack him.

All the while, Amon had not been overtaken by ego or a merciless instinct to kill the half-ghoul. Instead, all of the memories that he had ever witnessed in his lifetime had been reminded to him. All of which led to Eyepatch, as though it was his mission to help the ghoul.

" _My life…is one of constant loss._

 _Biological parents,_

 _Illusion of an adoptive family,_

 _Colleagues,_

 _Mentors,_

 _...It scares me what I might lose next._

… _This is my last sanctuary._

 _I will never let you through._

… _Eyepatch—_

… _Take a small break—."_

As both opponents charged, Amon had clutched his powerful quinque and Kaneki had continued his animalistic screeching as the centipede-like tail swung behind him like a sinister flag. And without any warning, the blow that pierced one of the individuals stung like life itself.

 **Raindrops…**

That was the feeling Kaneki felt on his freezing body as his consciousness was shut in utter darkness. His body felt heavy and numb, a small yet tremendously painful sensation slowly began to let its presence be known on his side.

However, he became aware of another sensation. His body wasn't lying on the floor, but rather, someone was holding him. He could hear the soft sounds of breathing, as well as a familiar scent he knew all too well.

Kaneki could barely move, yet he was very conscious of all of which was happening around him. Despite his vulnerable situation, he felt a sense of ease upon being held by someone he knew. His head was relying on Amon's shoulder; the arms that were around his back were being as gentle as they could.

"Don't die." The CCG investigator whispered to only the half-ghoul, he did not want his colleagues to believe he had any attachment or resentment towards this certain ghoul. "This may seem like a wrestling hold to the others, but I'm trying not to hurt you anymore than I have to."

The investigator flinched upon feeling Kaneki's head move the slightest. His teal orbs gazed down to the unconscious figure, noticing the half-ghoul's face twisting in utter pain.

"Gek…" a small sound of pain escaped Kaneki's lips, causing his body to flinch and move slightly. His eyes opened widely at the severe pain that suddenly collapsed on him, the wound that had not healed felt as though it were insects eating him alive.

"Eye—." Amon could not finish his shocked words as Kaneki pushed him harshly; the half-ghoul tried to stand though he howled in pain as he collapsed to his knees. His hands trembled as they quickly clutched at his left side, where a huge gaping wound stretched almost to his spine.

The half-ghoul leaned down and rested his forehead on the ground, continuing to clutch at his wound as he began to pant and shudder from the immense pain. The raindrops continued to spill over them; all the while the wet road began to pool in a red tinted color due to the blood that spilled from his wound.

"Don't attack me." Kaneki darted his attention towards Amon, the investigator still had his armor active though his helmet was no longer obscuring his face. The man slowly made his way to Kaneki's curled up form, though the half-ghoul could not respond as he clutched at the wound tightly.

"Please. Let me help you, at least you have a higher chance of surviving if you're docile." The investigator continued to speak in a harsh tone though it held gentleness underneath. Kaneki stared at the man, his eyes softened slightly as he laid his head on the pavement, his body slowly eased down as he stilled himself.

"You asked for my name, yet you're being selfish and not letting me know yours." Amon muttered with a slightly irritated look as he leaned down, slowly trying to lift the half-ghoul into a sitting position.

"Be careful! Even if it's wounded, it just tried to attack you!" One of the soldiers yelled from afar, though they were slowly making their way closer to their fellow comrade. "It's far too dangerous, this Eyepatch ghoul. We can't keep it out here, or it will heal and try to attack."

"Contact the emergency headquarters. We will take him to Cochlea, at least he won't have any chances of escaping there." Amon yelled back, steadily lifting the limp ghoul that continued to stare intently at him. He frowned. "Don't attack, you'll only make your situation worse."

"…Not likely." The very tiny whisper from the albino haired had almost been missed, though Amon had heard it loud and clear. The investigator frowned; an expression of remorse and sympathy was clearly visible on his face. To this, Kaneki took great interest in—this investigator had always been a puzzle he seemed to be drawn to.

 **To be continued.**

Thank you very much for reading!

What did you think of the first chapter?

Please let me know if I should continue.


	2. II

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Forgive me for any grammar mistake! I do not have the time to proofread but I do hope you are still able to understand what I meant in certain parts. Thank you!

Enjoy the story!

" _Everyone suffers some injustice in life, and what better motivation than to help others not suffer in the same way."_

—Bella Thorne.

A far away sound of an ambulance was all Kaneki was aware of. His body felt exhausted, the pooling blood that continued to ooze down his side was beginning to weaken him severely.

The albino haired had been stubborn towards the investigator; he did not show any gratitude for the support though he had kept his word in not attacking him or his squad. Well, not as if he _could,_ anyway.

At a certain point, the half-ghoul had eventually leaned to the support. The soldiers clearly held hateful stares and continued to point their weapons at him. Kaneki's only back up was Amon, who seemed to be the only thing keeping him safe from the hounds.

The investigator had, of course, stilled to the half-ghoul's head that leaned on him. Kaneki was quite sure that Amon was possibly thinking he was facing death head-on by keeping such a close contact to a man-eating hybrid.

Kaneki, on the other hand, was not only feeling an intense pain. He remembered why he was there in the first place. He felt very troubled and was filled with a suffocating anger that he could not aid his Anteiku comrades at the moment. His body and mind screamed for him to run, to leap through all these people that were surely hurting his friends. But he could not respond to his body's request, his mind was buzzing in pain and wanted only to rest.

His eyes began to slowly flutter down, wishing to sleep and be overtaken by unconsciousness. A sharp nudge quickly made his eyes open, his ghoul instinct going off radar at the intrusion. "Hey. Don't fall asleep on me." Kaneki heard Amon speak sharply, the investigator clearly holding an authority figure.

The half-ghoul merely stared at the Arata armor in front of his vision. He slowly turned to look sideways, his heavy eyelids lifted as he saw the so-called ambulance. The way in which it was designed looked as though it was a bank truck that had extreme protection over money. Just replace money with ghoul and you have the masterpiece of an anti-ghoul escape vehicle.

"Everyone, every single member of the CCG is fighting an important battle today. Whether our comrades die is up to what we accomplish in the end! All of you keep safe and stay on alert! Do not leave your post, we can't let any of them escape!" Amon commanded firmly.

"Yes sir!" A synchronizing echo came from all of the soldiers, each which stood broad and tall. They each scattered, their weapons at the ready as they rushed through the rain and the fog that had taken over the city.

Two figures quickly came out of the ambulance's passenger seats, taking into account the snow haired youth. They would not have thought that was a ghoul were it not for the wound and the mask.

"Amon Koutarou, sirs. This ghoul is known as Eyepatch, keep a close eye on him and do not leave his side." The two men seemed to hesitate; their expressions had seemed confused as they each looked at one another. "What is it?" He asked as concern took over Amon's features.

"Investigator Koutarou, the commander Yoshitoki Washuu asked for you to personally escort this ghoul. He spoke of you having more experience with the Eyepatch than any other investigator has ever encountered." One of the men spoke respectfully as he crossed his arms behind his back.

"You have survived in several fights with ghouls and facing off with Eyepatch, that is, taking into account today as well. Today is an important day in the history of the CCG." The second man spoke as he took a similar yet more laid back posture as his comrade. "We ask you respectfully to retreat the Raid."

The investigator stood still as he took in the information that both men had given him. In a different occasion, he would have been flattered and very proud. However, he was far too concerned over his comrades, as well as his late Mentor's daughter who was in the battlefield at this moment.

"I cannot leave my post behind. What if the Aogiri were to bring backup—." Amon spoke warily, feeling alarmed of leaving everyone behind.

"We have that under control." The bolder man spoke as he nodded. "Special Class Investigator Kishou Arima will be arriving soon at the scene as well as his S3 squad."

Amon immediately fell silent to the reveal. He had always heard many stories of Investigator Kishou, knowing all too well how feared that man is in the Ghoul world. His orbs quickly looked down at the albino hair's form, remembering that this ghoul would have been facing the same fate had he managed to get past him.

All the while, Kaneki had been listening to the exchange between the men. He knew that familiar name, he was known as The White Reaper. He is a dangerous man that has defeated countless of ghouls and has a higher chance of even being an equal opponent to the mysterious One-eyed King.

Amon nodded stubbornly after standing for a while, overthinking his options and the safety of others. Eyepatch was weakened, but these doctors were going to replenish him. The investigator knew that Eyepatch would not kill him, but he could not be sure of the others.

"Alright. I will stay by Eyepatch's side as we make our way to…uh, Cochlea, right?" Amon asked uncertainly as he shifted Eyepatch's weight, bringing the half-ghoul into a tighter hold in order to keep him standing.

"Correct. We have the supplies to heal him completely, but the _food_ will also have Rc Suppressants infused." The man never once missed Amon's actions; his shoulders that had been tensed seemed to slump down slowly upon feeling safety.

However, the serene atmospheres quickly overturn as the half-ghoul suddenly lashed out. Unbeknown to them, Kaneki's conscious had quickly pierced the back of his head as to _who_ and _what_ his friends were going to faceoff.

The jet haired investigator was startled at the sudden enraged ghoul, quickly holding him tightly as he noticed Eyepatch's wound spilling more blood than it needed.

"Eyepatch! Hey!" He involuntarily tried to reason with the ghoul as Kaneki thrashed about, panic clearly visible from his left eye that had morphed into his kakugan. The only reason for why the investigator had not backed away was because Kaneki wasn't showing any aggression to feed off them—the zipper on his mask had not been unzipped.

"I must…help! Aid! Imustsaveeveryone! Icantcantcantcant…protect. I must protect! Protect them!" Kaneki mumbled and muttered, most of his words were utter nonsense while sometimes it was clear what his motive was. And as expected, Amon's sharp deductions quickly let him know what the rampage was about.

The investigator kept a tighter grip on the other; Kaneki's thrashing had become far too dangerous as he quickly locked Kaneki's arms behind his back, slamming the ghoul down to the pavement.

"Get Rc Suppressants! _NOW!"_ Amon yelled severely as the two men quickly hurried to the ambulance in a composed matter yet utter panic was visible. "Get ahold of yourself, Eyepatch!" He gritted through clenched teeth as he held the ghoul forcefully.

Kaneki's kakugan wildly gazed on many directions, his face twisted in fear and anger. He knew that _thing_ wanted to take over his body, yet the image of his friends was helping him compose himself as best as he could. His muttering had turned into whispering; he remembered Rize and many memories he had buried beneath his mind.

All too suddenly, a stinging pain was felt on his neck. Once, twice, three times, fourth, and fifth. He felt his body slump terribly at the sensation of a very weakened body. The grip that Amon had on him was as if he was human.

" _Human…"_ Kaneki thought ironically at such a thought. His vision began to blur, realizing that they had not only injected him with Rc suppressants but also with anesthesia submerged in it. His eye slowly morphed back to its silvery shaded color, feeling his emotions cool down.

He felt himself be turned to face upward, taking notice of how dizzy his vision looked. Unconsciousness began to fight his awareness, feeling the darkness come into the corner of his vision. The last image he saw was that of the investigator that had shaken his shoulder slightly.

"He really fell asleep...it was that strong. When will he gain consciousness?" The jet haired man spoke as he looked at the two men questionably.

"It may take a while. Though this drive will be long and dangerous with ghouls. If we're correct, he might wake up in the middle of the drive. Anesthesia doesn't work that well with their excess blood and different set of organs. However, he will have a hard time getting his kagune out and fighting others while he has an IV stuck to his arm. The food his gains through the tube will keep him from lashing out as his wound heals. We're counting on you to keep him still, investigator Koutarou." As said words were spoken, Amon nodded firmly as he slowly lifted the sleeping ghoul and tried to not grimace at the wound that the half-ghoul had yet to heal.

 **To be continued**

Thank you very much for reading!

I hope this second chapter was satisfactory.

I honestly could not help myself to type the next chapter. I love cliffhangers, but I also like to unleash my imagination to all of you.


	3. III

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.

Enjoy the story!

" _Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved."_

—Mattie Stepanek.

 _ **Rumble…rumble…rumble**_

The rhythm of the vehicle kept Amon's attention away from troubling thoughts of his comrades and what the aftermath of the Raid may be.

It had been over half-an-hour since they had gone off from the 20th ward, making the 23rd ward their main destination. So far, the albino haired ghoul had not made any signs of consciousness.

There were times when a tiny squared slide door would open, one of the passengers would inform Amon of what ward they were in and would explain what to expect if any trouble may come.

The investigator knew quite well of all the dangers that each ward had to offer, but he did not say this to the passenger out of politeness. Most of the time, Amon would keep his attention on the ghoul. He felt anxious to take off his mask and figure out whom Eyepatch really was.

He did not, however, dare himself to do it. He could not bring himself to unceremoniously take off Eyepatch's identity; it just did not fit his morals. As far as 'morals' he had, of course.

Amon gazed at his hands, noticing that he had not brought any weapons. What was worse was the fact that his Arata armor had to be taken from him; otherwise he would have been consumed slowly. He groaned internally, knowing quite well that his late mentor would have scolded him for his carelessness.

Although, It wasn't that he was careless; Amon just had a feeling that he would not be severely injured by this ghoul. He remembered vividly the first meeting between the two. The way Eyepatch spared his life, cried vulnerably in front of him, and even said he did not wish to be a monster.

" _Monster…"_

He had seen a great change in character from the ghoul. Ever since that meeting, he had questioned his purpose and had been reminded of an orphanage that he would rather had burned away from his mind.

The jet haired man closed his eyes, the memory of a cross, of children, and of that _man_ came into view. It was a troubling memory, one that had turned him into a less human being.

He began to wonder if that is exactly how Eyepatch feels. Amon was not a ghoul, but he felt that Eyepatch somehow had not _want_ to be a ghoul. It was a very bizarre thought, one that made him question all he had ever been taught.

The investigator halted his thoughts at that moment. He sighed as he closed his eyes tightly, rubbing his forehead in a circular motion to ease the tensed muscles on his eyebrows.

"This is ridiculous." Amon whispered in exasperation, feeling that all of these conflicting emotions were labeling Eyepatch as a human. But all too suddenly, a hoarse whisper answered his words.

"What is?"

Amon jolted in surprise, flexibly standing up as he had been taken off-guard. However, he quickly balanced himself when the vehicle turned a U-turn. His teal orbs stared into gray hue; an eerie staring moment that lasted for a few seconds took place between the two.

The ghoul was the first to break the stare and look at the car's ceiling instead. He had wished for a calm introduction between him and Amon Koutarou, but so far he had managed to be intimidating. Even though he could not move, he wasn't exactly the most 'pleasant' looker at the moment.

In an awkward yet tensed posture, Amon managed to sit back down as he continued to stare at the ghoul. The passenger and driver had informed him of the time the ghoul might awaken, though he felt it had been too soon. They were barely entering the 22nd ward; each ward seemed to have a longer time span in travel.

"You don't have a weapon." Kaneki whispered as he turned his head carefully to look at the man face on. For the first time, he was able to take in every detail of the mysterious investigator he had come to regard as a sort of strange acquaintance.

"You haven't attacked." He retorted back, though it was in a calm tone rather than irritated or annoyed. He did not feel such emotions when speaking to the ghoul, but more as in curiosity.

The gray orb softened as Kaneki stared at the investigator for a while longer. Amon, on the other hand, could swear he saw a twitch of a smile despite the mask that decorated the ghoul's features. In truth, Kaneki knew that was not the reason he lacked a weapon. He wasn't able to attack him at the moment anyhow; the Rc suppressants were living up to their name.

Kaneki slowly lifted his head to look up at the IV bag. He could tell this was a new sort of CCG technology, for normal needles would not have been able to pierce his skin. He could see the transparent tiny chunks of meat and blood within the bag.

"Cochlea." Kaneki whispered as he looked back at the investigator who had not taken his eyes off him. The half-ghoul wasn't much of a talker, and he wondered if the investigator would be able to elaborate on his statement. Surprisingly, Amon had noticed the hint.

"That is where we're taken you. I'm sure you've heard of it." Amon answered in a focused and informative manner. Kaneki nodded very slightly, only wanting to hear a confirmation.

The albino haired slowly tried to lift his right arm, one that did not have the IV cord inflicted to his vein. He halted halfway in mild surprise, noticing he had not been strapped to the bed he was confined to.

At the actions of the ghoul, Amon had become tensed. He could not read the ghoul's expression or his intentions, but he was quite sure he could not be caught off-guard again.

"No straps." The white haired clarified. He looked at Amon, his eyes staring deep into the others for a moment before he spoke again. "Why?"

"As I said, you can't attack. Your wound needed to—."

"Amon."

Such a simple word made the investigator fall silent immediately. Amon had never heard a ghoul address him by his last name, nonetheless a ghoul that was currently trapped between himself and the CCG.

"That is your name. Investigator Amon Koutarou, correct?" Kaneki continued to speak as he stared at the man.

"…Yes." Amon quietly replied.

"Then, It's good to finally be acquainted." The half-ghoul replied. He slowly shifted his weight; a grimaced expression was visible as Kaneki slowly tried to sit up.

All the while, Amon kept a careful watch on him. He could not understand how he was having such a normal conversation with a _ghoul_ of all things. They had not been speaking of anything aside from the ghoul's destination, yet Amon seemed much more tensed than the other.

What occurred next had not been anticipated or even imagined. Amon nor any other CCG member for that matter, would have ever thought a ghoul would do this.

A handshake. The Eyepatch ghoul, who could easily devour or kill any human being, had offered a _handshake._ Amon stared in a dumbfounded manner towards the offered hand. All the while, Kaneki had managed to keep his left arm straight down in order for the needle to not impale him any deeper than necessary.

It was indeed amusing to see the investigator, Amon _,_ look genuinely astonished to his actions. The thought of the CCG believing ghouls were only man-eating monsters was a hard realization to swallow. This investigator was the only person who had seen a different image of ghouls. That is, at least a decent one that had once been human.

Hesitation was evident in Amon's actions as he slowly brought his hand and took hold of the ghoul's. He had expected the ghoul to possibly throw him at the ground or pull him like a prey to feast on. Instead, he softly shook his hand and had no other motive.

Amon was very fascinated by all of this. He had encountered the ghoul various times, but not ever officially as 'equals'. The thought of what this mere hand could easily do did bring him wariness and made him be sure to not mistake him for a human.

"…—Unlike our first meeting." Kaneki finished quietly. Amon had been too distracted to hear the complete sentence, though he had a fairly good idea of what the ghoul had said.

The albino haired slowly retrieved his hand from Amon's, placing it on his lap as he tried his best to not grimace at the pain he felt on his side. The soft rumble and occasional bumps of the vehicle were the only motions that kept him conscious and aware of his situation.

"You never told me your name."

Kaneki gazed at the investigator from the corner of his eye and distracted himself by examining the wound he had instead of meeting Amon's eyes. It was true; he had not exposed that much information due to obvious reasons. He had a high chance of escaping via different methods, and if he were to be taken to Cochlea then Amon would eventually be informed of his identity.

"There is no need." _You might know why_ were unspoken words left for Amon to fill in. Kaneki had heard one of the men speak of the 22nd ward, though he wasn't sure what dangers might lie in its wake.

As the ghoul finally met Amon's stern gaze in defiance, he was distracted upon hearing the slide door open. It was clear that it had been done in panic; therefore Amon kept attentive of what the man had to say.

"Is something wrong?" He asked rather loudly due to the engine increasing its rumbling sound.

"Aogiri! They've caught up to us! I don't know how they found us! And they're not here to—!"

The man never finished his sentence as the vehicle suddenly curved sideways, the wheels screeching as it threatened to possibly plunge and roll down the highway. It was clear that the wheels had been pierced, making them deflate and cause panic over the passengers.

Kaneki quickly took hold of the needle that was pierced through his skin. He yanked it out with as much strength he could muster despite the steel burning him due to a substance it may have against ghouls.

Upon having released himself from the burden, he quickly focused on his senses to where exactly the ghouls may attack. If anything, he did not want to be taken to Cochlea or back to the Aogiri's torturing methods.

All the while, Amon had been preoccupied of the two men as well as the ghouls that were sure to attack at any given moment. He held onto the wall until the vehicle finally came to a halt. He could hear his heart thumping loudly, almost as deafly to his ears.

"They're here for me."

The said words made Amon jump slightly, bringing his attention to the ghoul who in turn stared at him rigidly. In the moment of shock, he had been unaware of Eyepatch. He noticed his left arm was free from the needle, as well as his posture had straightened.

"This isn't any other _ghoul_." Kaneki murmured to himself, he was visibly troubled and thoughtful to the situation. He slowly turned his body and stood up, steading himself against the wall. "They won't leave unless they get what they want."

"We can't just—." Amon stopped his words halfway, feeling rather annoyed at himself that he would use the word _we_ as if the ghoul would even help them—or perhaps, Eyepatch even might.

"…We will." Kaneki answered quietly, taking notice of Amon's shocked yet challenging look.

 **To be continued.**

Thank you very much for reading!

I hope I didn't rush Amon and Kaneki's interacting too much. They can't be 'acquaintances' off the bat but I do hope it doesn't seem like it.

Please tell me what you think of the process so far.


	4. IV

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.

Enjoy the story!

" _If my survival caused another to perish, then death would be sweeter and more beloved."_

—Khalil Gibran.

The deafening silence that embraced the two alarmed figures was long and torturous. The two passengers that had kept informing Amon had yet to appear once more behind the tiny closed window.

While there had been occasional sounds of shuffling and fabric, it seemed as though neither party was daring to make a move. Whether it was orders or because they had enough information to where they were heading, Aogiri members seemed too tensed.

Amon had stepped forward, deliberately turning his back from the ghoul as he pressed the side of his face to the vehicle's doors. He listened silently, his eyes never once leaving the concentration he was keen to keep. At times, he would still keep watch of Eyepatch from the corner of his eye.

"Can you open the doors?" The white haired whispered to Amon, keeping himself balanced by the wall as his skeptical eyes stared to both opposite directions. He had taken noticed of the wary emotions the investigator was expressing. Therefore, he decided to keep his distance.

"Wouldn't that be what the enemy wants?" The jet haired whispered back as he pressed his ear closer. His senses were focused, trying to gain as much information as his limited hearing could get from the outside.

"Maybe. But the longer we stay here, the faster their patience will decrease." His expression twisted into a frown. He felt troubled, knowing quite well that Aogiri did not wait for their enemies. If anything, they were very impulsive—Ayato had proven so.

"You have a point." Amon nodded as he searched through his trousers. Luckily, he had kept his uniform quite intact and would manage to fend for himself if a ghoul were to attack any vital points. "Why do they want you?" He asked as he took out a set of keys.

The investigator was met with silence, taking into account that Eyepatch did not want to discuss anything that may relate to him. Which, in fact, was a very obvious answer to guess. He took ahold of one specific key, plugging it into the keyhole as he twisted it.

Amon heard soft footsteps step closer; he felt a bit anxious when he noticed Eyepatch had come within reach of him. Upon closer inspection, he could tell how much shorter the albino haired was. If it weren't for the species he is and the situation they were in, he might of found it interesting.

Amon slowly pushed one of the doors to open, taking into consideration to step aside just a bit so that Eyepatch could also scan the area outside. Kaneki's eyes darted quickly from one corner to another.

For a while, Kaneki merely stood as still as he could. His senses were alerting him of every single action, despite how normal the place looked. However, realization hit him as he stared widely at the empty highway.

"Amon. How often do you see empty highways?" His gaze fell on the investigator, his expression was one which was identical to his own—utter risk and contemplation.

"…Only when there is a high alert emergency." Amon's words were that of a small whisper, dread and brood mixed with many other emotions.

"The question is—" Kaneki supported himself by holding onto the side of the opposite door, waving his hand when he noticed Amon's clear hesitation towards his rash actions. He slowly placed his feet down on the pavement. "— _Who_ alerted them."

After a short minute, Amon followed Eyepatch's actions and stayed alert to any movements around them. So far, the place seemed deserted and no clear danger was present. _Yet._

Kaneki tested his legs after a while, noticing that the Rc suppressants were wearying off just a bit as well as the Anesthesia. He took a few calculated steps to the side, circling the vehicle towards the front.

"I don't sense your comrades."

To Eyepatch's words, Amon quickly made his way ahead of the ghoul. He hastily stepped to the driver's side of the vehicle and yanked at the door. With much ease, the door opened and revealed it to not have any passengers.

"Wha—." Amon became baffled as he quickly looked around the vehicle, circling it various times and even going as far as to look under it. He finally came to a halt where Eyepatch had stayed standing, continuing to support his weight on the vehicle. Amon kept his gaze forward and then looked behind them to the isolated highway—no sign of either men could be found.

"They took them." Kaneki answered Amon's worse fear as the investigator looked at him rather accusingly for suggesting such a thing. "Aogiri Tree is not merciless." He challenged Amon's stubborn gaze with his own daring look. "We have to keep moving."

"We can't just—."

"More of them will arrive soon. We can't risk it." He sighed quietly; knowing that Amon was still human and would not understand how important survival was in the ghoul world.

Amon kept a tense silence between them for a few moments, Kaneki being quite sure he was contemplating to go search for the two missing men. The loyalty this man had was admiring to the half-ghoul, though he could not assure his safety due to his current condition.

"Let's say that you're right." The jet haired finally spoke as he looked gravely at the ghoul. "If they were taken by the Aogiri and we can't do anything for them, what can we do for _our_ survival?"

The ghoul stared deep into Amon's eyes, seeing a new shade of light in which Eyepatch was analyzing from him. He could tell that what the ghoul was bound to say would not be easy for neither of them, but Amon wasn't exactly feeling at ease to be trusting a ghoul just as Eyepatch did not trust a CCG member.

"Stay close. We can't drive on the vehicle, and the highway is too open. You'll have to stick to me in case ghouls notice you." Kaneki carefully spoke his words. Of course, Amon did not seem to be satisfied by the answer but the half-ghoul wanted him to understand that sacrifices had to be made. "There are members in Aogiri that are much weaker, while there are those of higher rank." Kaneki slowly began to mumble to himself, trying to gather as much information that he can to conclude a plan for the two of them.

"You have no weapons. However, I do smell a suitcase in the passenger's seat. If you keep the Arata armor close to you, it will seem threatening to others." Kaneki motioned his head towards the vehicle, though winced at the motion.

"You haven't healed completely." Amon frowned at his words, knowing it was ridiculous to feel worry for the ghoul. However, it was a reflexive reaction that he had whenever he saw anyone injured that may be somehow acquaintance to him.

"I'll live." Was the short response from Kaneki as he slowly stood up straight, trying his best to not focus on the Rc suppressants. The wounds had closed, though an itching feeling was still eating at his organs. "We have to leave, I doubt they haven't noticed us."

 _ **Crunch…crunch…crunch**_

The rhythmic steps echoed through the empty streets as the two walked through tall buildings and bridges. It had been quite some time since they had gotten off the highway, making their journey a little easier from prying eyes.

Kaneki was well aware of the many ghouls that hid behind empty trashed stores and restaurants. If it weren't for the alert that had been made, countless of bodies would have surely been found.

From the corner of his eye, he could tell Amon was quite tensed. And despite not bringing it up, he knew that the investigator was noticing the strength Kaneki was regaining. The Rc suppressants were fading quicker, the movements making it easier to cope with and being able to keep up with Amon's long strides.

There were times when occasional ghouls would stumble out and grin toothily at the dove but would quickly retreat whenever they recognized Kaneki. He wasn't sure how far this nickname 'Eyepatch' had gone, but it had made an impact on the ghoul world.

After a while of walking, they both began to notice shadows moving around the corner of the buildings. They did not tell one another of the occasional figures, though they were sure they both knew what it meant. Aogiri had assigned these ghouls, though they weren't sure for the reason of being persistent.

"Are the Rc suppressants…?" Amon whispered towards the ghoul.

Wordlessly, Kaneki activated his kakugan as he looked at Amon. That was the only signal he needed to know that Eyepatch was ready for battle, though the tiny limp was still quite visible. To say the least, the investigator had been slightly wary of the eye though he hoped the ghoul would not attack anyone else aside from the two visitors.

In sync, the two quickly rolled to opposite sides as needle-shaped like spears pierced the ground roughly, making rubble and cement sprinkle on the glass of opposite buildings. The glass shattered in the process, making other hidden ghouls scurry away at the violent scene.

Despite the intrusion, Kaneki had kept his eyes fixed on Amon. He was sure that the investigator would need help if he were to have to force himself to use the Arata armor. Which, might he say, he could not activate yet unless he wanted his blood to be extracted painfully slowly.

"Well, well, well…it seems we have two little rats that haven't been captured yet." The ghoul with a sinister mask spoke roughly. He wore a red cloak that flapped roughly with the wind. "While one can be food, he can be useful to us." He continued speaking arrogantly as he looked at Kaneki. "But my, you have been a pain in the ass as of late, Eyepatch."

Kaneki narrowed his eyes dangerously at the aogiri member. He knew the trademark of that cloak, and was quite sure that he had come here in behalf of orders. His gaze was ripped away from the ghoul as he heard a pained screech and a thumping sound.

He had forgotten about the other aogiri member whom had kept in the shadows. He glared at the second cloaked figure that held Amon in a choke hold, causing the investigator to drop the suitcase in order to protect his neck with his arm.

"Whaddaya know, this investigator ain't all hot shit!" The second member laughed loudly as he held the jet haired tightly. "Eyepatch~. Are you telling us you joined 'em? I mean, we did have _GREAT_ plans for ya."

Even though the situation had seemed nearly hopeless upon having a hostage, Amon acted on instinct and took hold of the ghoul's arms. With enough force he pulled the ghoul upwards and slammed him against the building's window. He, of course, did not only shattered the glass but slammed the ghoul against the other side of the floor to buy himself time to retreat from the close contact with the other.

As the investigator quickly took the suitcase into his hand and ran to the side Eyepatch to be able to make up a plan, he was startled by the sudden speed the other ghoul had. He noticed his right arm had a kagune that rolled itself into its arm like a rope.

"A Koukaku—!" Amon was cut short as he was thrown at a high speed away from where he had once stood. He rolled in the pavement and shattered glass from earlier until he came to a deafening halt. He coughed as he slowly stood up; taking out any small shards his skin had been impaled with. "Dammit." He murmured to himself, knowing well that he could not activate the Arata without risking his own safety.

That had been the only distraction Kaneki had needed as he quickly ran at the ghoul, his kagune easily slid out with menace as it stretched out like a carnivorous plant. He quickly pounced at the ghoul, twisting his tentacle-like weapons to pierce his abdomen several times. This did brought certain memories, such as Nishiki.

His eyes, however, had never once left Amon's form. Kaneki knew Amon did not seem like the type that liked to be protected, though there was no choice when the half-ghoul knew all too well what being powerless was like. Kaneki quickly took hold of the ghoul's shoulders and slammed him face first into the pavement. He repeated the motion several times until the mask cracked and shattered. The ghoul's face eventually was too deformed to recognize it.

The second sound of feet coming behind him easily made it possible for his kagune to pierce through the ghoul and lift him up. He glared behind him at the ghoul that stood elevated from the ground, choking on his own blood as he stared at Kaneki. A sinister grin took over the ghoul's mouth, making Kaneki become very suspicious their hidden agenda.

He dropped the body to the floor, noticing Amon hurridly racing towards him. He stood up as his kagune retrieved back into his back.

The investigator seemed to have a concern look, though Kaneki ignored it prior to remembering their survival had to be absolute. He stared at the bodies for a while longer; a thoughtful expression was evident on his face.

"Sorry, I wasn't—."

"You're injured." The half-ghoul interrupted Amon as he examined the wounds the other had inflicted. He knew his kakugan was still active, though he wished to demonstrate not all ghouls were as bad as Amon may think—or anyone, for that matter. To his relief, the investigator had minor wounds. If he were to have a leg broken or anything necessary to run, it would be much more difficult to keep him on his feet.

The investigator took a while to reply, his eyes clearly focusing on the kakugan. He did not seem tensed, however, he looked as though he wasn't feeling any threat from him. Which, in truth, was the reality of Kaneki's intentions. The fact that he was collaborating with a ghoul was an unbelievable statement he may never tell his co-workers at the CCG.

"You are too. If you have to do all the work, I doubt we'll _both_ be out of here."

Eyepatch stared at Amon once more, a habit that the investigator had taken into account. He had not seen the other take this much interest on someone, though he wondered if the curiosity was mutual.

"It's fine." Kaneki answered rather stubbornly, though he was merely being truthful.

"The fact that you didn't abandon me behind—"

"You would have done the same." Kaneki cut him off, though his words had surprised Amon. For the ghoul was right, he would have done so.

 _"A...comrade's compassion. Right? Do ghouls even have compassion?"_ Amon thought to himself. He had seen Eyepatch act with sympathy, though he wasn't sure of it now. Not any of this made sense, though he did feel he was seeing a different side to this ghoul.

Though unknown to them, Aogiri tree had actually been testing the two of them. Somehow, it had become quite known of their strange interaction ever since they first encountered one another. But it wasn't just about the interaction, rather, what a ghoul and human may accomplish was troubling to them.

 **To be continued.**

Thank you very much for reading!

I hope this chapter did not seemed rush. I almost didn't finish it, but I wanted to update it today for all you lovelies to read.

Once more, thanks for the support!


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